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Pets Zazen!

So, I am curious if anybody has pets? If so, do you allow them into the
room when you meditate? We have 3 cats 2 boys and a girl. All of whom
lounge on me whenever I sit down, however when I meditate they all leave
me alone. They all come in the room with me, but they don't bother me
when I am meditating. I guess I am curious if anybody else has
experienced this.

:lol:
Certainly have experienced this!
4 cats here. One is very possessive, she used to "dolphin" dive at me whilst i sat. Another likes to lick and rub on my hands or w/e is exposed while we sit and one loves to just sit either beside me with a paw up on me or DIRECTLY in front and we have staring contests (FYI - I usually win ;D). At first i used to shoo them out - which i think became abit of a game for them. Now we all just sit together Heck they even sit with out me

My cat has serious boundary issues. When I sit, he sits... on me. And it's not like he just sits, he has to make sure everything is JUST RIGHT, so he will fuss and fidget and dig into me with his paws until he is comfy. I have to wait until everything is just "so" to begin, then we are good.

My dog, well, he needs to be shut out of the room because he thinks he's a lap dog and at 100 pounds he's a bit delusional.

This post made me think of how throughout the day I'll find Kitty in his favorite spot and how I just like to watch him when he reaches his "zenned" out state, so peaceful, so content... then I can't help but POKE him gently ... like the Pillsbury Dough Boy... :shock:

This post made me think of how throughout the day I'll find Kitty in his favorite spot and how I just like to watch him when he reaches his "zenned" out state, so peaceful, so content... then I can't help but POKE him gently ... like the Pillsbury Dough Boy...

I can't help myself...

This makes me laugh too! How sadistic does a person have to be right? Now if only I can learn to stop doing it to myself when I have my zenned out(in?) state! :lol:

I have 2 dogs and 3 cats, so chances are there is a furry creature nearby when I am sitting.
My deaf dog will sit next to me, which is not a problem, but one of my cats will 'pop a wheelie', standing on his back legs to touch my face with his paw. so obviously that can be awfully distracting.
i read somewhere (online, can't remember the location) that you are not to sit around pets because of the distraction factor, but my house is small so it is unavoidable. if i have a distraction i try to work with it, or just start again the next day.

How sadistic does a person have to be right? Now if only I can learn to stop doing it to myself when I have my zenned out(in?) state! :lol:

I know huh!!! I'm right there with you brother!

As Penney mentioned, children whether two or four legged, can be distractions... but (forgive me I'm new) isn't that part of zazen? To identify distractions emotions, sounds, etc then let them go? I will have to admit being touched is a tough one, my cat often does what your cat does Penney, but his is not so much a tender touch, but a sock in the jaw!

I have a cat that has taken to my morning routine. First I sit down at the computer to watch Jundo's sit-a-long, and she begs to have me pick her up and sit her on my lap (she seems to like watching too :roll: ). Then I go sit and she will often lie down beside me. Finally, I have breakfast, and she begs to lick up the last spot of milk out of my cereal bowl. Yah, she has me wrapped around her finger .

I have four cats and two dogs. the youngest of the dogs, One-Eyed Willie (Named for the pirate in "The Goonies," because yes, he's got one eye.) has gotten into a Zazen routine. After going outside in the early morning, he comes in while I'm watching "Sit-A-Long," then after I watch Jundo, he circles me on the Zafu a few times then settles in, usually laying down facing whatever direction I'm facing. He doesn't move till I do.
he's a seven month old Siberian Husky/Rottweiller mix, so when he sits, he's about as tall as me. Once he lays down, he's set till the final bell chimes. It's sort of Willie's time with Dad. LOL

I used to try locking them out before I sat down to meditate. But they yelled and scratched at the door so much that it was less of a distraction to let them in. I use a large zabuton, so there's usually one cat lying beside me with his chin on my knee. The ancient ginger tabby will climb right into my lap and snooze while I meditate. She even likes to put her paws on top of my palms.

I've got 4 and they have all sat with me alternatively. They each have their own "spot" on the zabuton...or on me. I always feel like they show up in order to make sure I get it right! Every priory or monastery I've been to has always welcomed whatever animal seems to make its way in, as long as its not a huge distraction. Cats, birds, dogs, squirrels.

One morning there was this frog that came in and hung out at the water dish of the Achalanatha shrine in the monastery. I discovered it early in the morning at meditation and just left it there. When we began to sing our morning service it starting singing with us, loud and long. As we were all supposed to be mindful etc no one wanted to be the one to start laughing but one of the lay people did and then the whole room did.

As a sometime cat guy (we will get our next one as soon as we get back to Japan), I would just let the cats come and go ... like thoughts come and go. Let them sit with you or not (or, are you sitting with them?). Same for the dogs

Good to sit in a quiet room, good to sit sometimes with distractions (which are not distractions unless we make them so).

On another day, I will tell you the many ways in which cats are natural Zen teachers.

My cat and dog are both usually sleeping when i sit. I can hear the dog breathing and snoring lightly and the cat will usually wake and walk between me and the wall a few times without ever touching me. i think he considers me a piece of furniture at these times. a couple of days ago the dog was running and barking in her sleep and i wondered which came first, her dream or her sleep..